Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Advice for comrades feeling the heat from the CC and its full-time organisers

In the face of the unprecedented opposition within our party to the Central Committee, its shocking handling of the rape allegation against a leading member, its attempts to force through a post-conference pretence that all is settled, and its continuing bullish defence of undemocratic methods and ongoing attempts to silence dissent, the Central Committee and its full-time organisers have started to move against those of us demanding an accounting in the party.

Comrades around the country have been summoned to meetings on their own, or at best with one fellow member to accompany them.
In these meetings they have been accused of all manner of attacks on "forty years of British Leninism", and recantations, confessions and apologies have been demanded, along with suggestions that they leave if they cannot toe 'the line'.

Don't be intimidated. It's our party. You are not alone, much as the CC may wish to make you feel isolated.

Here are some suggestions for comrades in these situations:

DON'T go alone to one of these meetings. If "invited", accept, and tell the CC member or organiser the names of three other comrades who will be coming with you. Stick to your guns on this.

DO take notes during the meeting and reject any demand that you should not.

DON'T agree to anything - tell whoever is disciplining you that you will go away, discuss their points with other comrades, and respond later.

DO tell other comrades before and after the meeting that it will be happening. We have NOTHING to hide from other members and from the class.

DON'T apologise for standing up to them and for fighting for our party.

DO tell us, here at the IS blog of any incidents of bullying and / or intimidation. Any threats, any suggestion of disciplinary sanctions - tell the party, the party needs to know what is going on.

Do please consider sharing any concerns or uncertainties arising from such meetings with the sympathetic comrades posting at this blog - feel free to email us